A Tale of Five Carsons
by Tsukino Akume
Summary: Bridge learns the meaning of the word 'adopted' and how it doesn't - and does - apply to him. Bright Skies Universe.
1. Part 1

Bridge is 6, Heart is nearly 2, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha are 38, Zack is 39.

For Challon, because her love for the Carson family and their name inspired this, and phantom_blue, for yelling at me for making Bridge cry before deciding it was okay after all, and helping explain how Bridge was born.

* * *

"Freak," Parker Morris sneered at him.

Bridge frowned, lifting his chin. He wouldn't cry - not after what had happened the last time he'd cried in school. He didn't want Sky and Elizabeth to get in trouble no more. "Am not," he protested.

"Are too," Parker insisted. "Only freaks get 'dopted, 'cause their real parents don't want 'em."

He blinked. "'dopted?" he echoed uncertainly.

Parker rolled his eyes. "You stupid or somethin'?" he demanded. "You and your daddy don't look nothin' alike. He's **black**. He can't be your **real** daddy, which means you're 'dopted." He smirked. "Which means your real parents didn' want you. 'Cause you're de ... defec-chive."

Bridge stared, trying to keep his lip from trembling as his eyes watered. "A ... am not," he mumbled, sniffling a little.

"Are so. Baby," Parker taunted. "Dontcha know **nothin'**? When you don' look like your parents it's cause you're 'dopted."

He blinked again, swallowing. Daddy Adam always said that he looked like Daddy Rocky, but ... he didn't see it. No one else ever really did, either. He was ... **'dopted**?

He scrunched his eyes shut, clenched his fists, and glared when he opened them again. "Shut up!" he yelled back. "You're the one who don' know nothin'!"

He turned and ran for Miss Malkin.

* * *

He waited patiently for Miss Malkin to notice him, shifting back and forth from one foot to the other. Miss Malkin would make it all better. That's what teachers were for. Daddy Adam said so.

She turned over the last paper she'd been grading, setting down her pen and looking up to offer him a smile. "What is it, Bridge?"

He swallowed hard. "Miss Malkin, Parker said I'm ... 'dopted, 'cause I don' look like my daddy." He paused, frowning. "What's 'dopted mean?"

Her smile faded, and she sighed quietly. After a moment, she leaned forward to look him in the eyes. "**Adopted**," she clarified gently, "Is when a child's family can't take care of them anymore, so they give them to another family to take care of them instead."

He blinked for a moment. "Why can't they take care of 'em?"

"There's a lot of reasons. It depends on the family, really." She reached out to touch his shoulder, giving him that look he sometimes got from his aunts and uncles when his powers went bad. "But Bridge, this is really something you should be asking your parents about. They can explain better than I can."

"They can?" He frowned again.

She smiled sadly, and he thought he felt her aura flicker a little. "They'll be able to help you understand, Bridge. That's what family is for." She said the word 'family' special, like it was important.

He nodded slowly. "Thank you, Miss Malkin," he added in afterthought, because Mama and Daddy Adam would want him to be polite.

"You're welcome, Bridge."

He wandered back toward to the playground, lost in thought. He was adopted? Mama and Daddy and Daddy and Daddy weren't his real parents? But ... they were the only parents he'd ever had. At least, the only ones he remembered. Maybe he forgot his real parents? If he was real small when they gave him away, that might explain it.

But why didn't Mama or any of his daddies say so? Was ... was there something wrong with his real parents? Were they bad people? Were they mean to him? He'd heard stories, about parents who hurt their kids, but none of his parents would **ever** hurt him.

Unless they took him away from the bad people who were his real parents.

He frowned more. Parker said that you got adopted when you were defec-chive. Did they think **he** was defec-chive, and that's why Mama and Daddy and Daddy and Daddy took him? They always said nothing was wrong with him, but ...

He lifted his hands, staring at the gloves covering his palms. Defec-chive ... That must've been it. His real parents didn' want him 'cause he was defec-chive.

He sniffled, vaguely aware that everything was getting blurry. He shouldn't cry. His real parents didn't love him, but his new ones did, right? Of course they did.

"Bridge?"

He jumped, looking up to see Sky and Elizabeth staring at him. Sky was frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Who hurt you?" Elizabeth demanded. "We'll make 'em sorry!"

He shook his head, sniffling again as he tried to wipe his eyes. "S'okay ... " he mumbled, hiccupping softly. "Nobody ... nobody hurt me."

Elizabeth scowled. "Then why 're you crying?" She paused, hesitated, and looked at Sky.

Sky stepped closer and gave him a hug. "You need a wall?" he offered hesitantly.

Bridge shook his head, trying to smile. He wiped at his eyes again, but the tears wouldn't stop. "S'not ... S'not that." He wiggled his right hand feebly to show what he meant.

Immediately Elizabeth moved to his other side, wrapping him in an even tighter hug. "Then what's wrong?" she asked, sounding worried now.

He shook his head again. "I ... I'm .... "

He dissolved into sobs.


	2. Part 2

He sat outside the nurse's office, kicking his feet back and forth under his chair as he sniffled a little. Crying was always bad, 'cause it made his nose run. And once he started, he couldn't stop. It didn't help that Sky and Elizabeth were so worried about him.

Why did they say your nose was running, anyways? It didn't go anywhere. You got snot everywhere, but it wasn't like your nose got up and went away from your would look real strange if it did, though. A nose with no face? Would you breathe through your mouth? But how would you _sneeze_?

He didn't **mean** to cry so much. He just couldn't help it. And then someone told Mr. Vick, and then he was being taken to the office so they could call his parents and send him home like they always did when he got too upset. He *tried* to say it wasn't like that this time, that he wasn't hurting, but they wouldn't listen.

He wondered which one of his parents had to take time off to come get him. Not Mama ... Auntie Ashley wasn't working. And Daddy Zack said he had something to do today ... something about a bet with Uncle Jason. So ... Daddy Rocky or Daddy Adam, then.

He hoped they wouldn't be too mad.

"Bridge?"

He looked up and smiled. "Hi, Daddy."

Daddy Adam looked worried, and even with his gloves on Bridge could feel his aura pulsing for a moment until he stopped to calm himself down. "What happened?" he asked finally, coming to crouch beside the chair. He reached up to touch the top of Bridge's head, running a hand over his hair.

He shook his head quickly. "M'okay, Daddy," he insisted. "It wasn't ... I'm not sick," he promised. 'Sick' was what the nurse called it when his powers got out of control. Mama tried to tell him once that he wasn't really 'sick' when it happened.

Mama didn't usually get to pick him up from school no more.

Daddy frowned. "Then what's wrong?"

He ducked his head, looking at his feet. "Nothin'," he mumbled, swallowing again. Miss Malkin said he should ask his parents, but ...

Daddy sighed and kissed the top of his head. "Let me sign you out, and then we'll go home, okay?" he promised. "Your dad's making cookies, and he promised if any of them come out right we can have them."

He looked up hopefully. "What kind?"

"Peanut butter, I think."

"Peanut buttery cookies?" He wiggled his fingers.

Daddy smiled at him. "The butteriest," he promised, rumpling his hair. "I'll be right back."

"'kay," he said brightly.

He frowned a little when his daddy walked away as he thought of something. He didn't know Daddy Zack could cook ...

* * *

"Note to Self: pressing the cookie with a fork is **not** just for decoration."

Bridge giggled slightly, finally releasing his daddy's hand as the front door closed behind them. Home always felt **much** better than school. "Hi, Daddy!" he called.

Daddy Zack looked up from the pan he was frowning down at, grinning when he saw them. "Hey, buddy!" he returned cheerfully. "Sorry I couldn't come get you today, but I promised your Daddy Rocky I wouldn't leave the kitchen until someone else got home. For some reason, he doesn't trust me." He frowned.

Daddy Adam snorted as he followed Bridge into the kitchen. He reached to the stove and turned one of the knobs. "Addendum to Note to Self:," he drawled. "It helps to switch the oven from 'pre-heat', to **bake**." He glanced at Daddy Zack, shaking his head with a faint smile. "I don't know how you even convinced Rocky to let you use his kitchen in the first place."

"Me, neither," Daddy Zack returned. "But hey, check it out: cookies!" He held out a plate with a flourish.

Daddy Adam put a hand out in front of Bridge when he reached for one, frowning. "Uh, Zack ... "

"Already taste-tested," Daddy Zack promised. "They're good, I promise."

Daddy Adam didn't look any happier. He took two, taking a small bite of one and chewing thoughtfully. After a moment he raised his eyebrows, passing the second cookie down to Bridge. "You're right. They're not bad."

"Of course they're not." Daddy Zack looked offended. "I made those ones for Bridge. **These** are for Jase." He gestured toward the pile of blackened, lumpy cookies he'd just taken out of the oven.

Daddy Adam laughed. "I thought the point of the forfeit was that you had to make him his favorite cookies."

"I do. But he never said they to be **good** cookies," Daddy Zack corrected, waving a finger. He paused to set down the plate and pointed from Bridge to a chair. "Better eat at the table, Buddy. Your mom'll kill me if you get crumbs on the floor."

Bridge giggled again as he moved to sit, munching happily on his cookie. Daddy Zack was fun. "'kay."

"So how was school?" Daddy Zack asked, turning to the sink.

Bridge froze, cookie halfway to his mouth.

After a moment he blinked, slowly setting down his cookie. "Fine," he said softly.

They both turned to look at him, and he felt their auras waver again. "You ready to talk about it?" Daddy Adam asked, watching him with another frown.

He bit his lip and shook his head quickly. "M'okay," he mumbled. "S' nothin'."

Daddy Adam sighed, crouching down next to him and reaching up to touch his hair again. "You're just like your Daddy Rocky," he sighed.

Bridge burst into tears.


	3. Part 3

It was dark outside when he woke up again. He lay still for a moment as he curled up in bed, listening. He could hear voices down the hall, arguing quietly. He tugged off a glove and sighed in relief when he only read _worry _and _love_ in the air.

Something shifted behind him, and he rolled over to blink at Heart.

She stared back, brown eyes large and worried. "Idge?" she asked softly.

He smiled, reaching out to hold her hand. Their auras sparkled where they touched, shining brightly, and Heart stared at them in fascination. She giggled abruptly, flashing him a bright smile. "Idge!" she squealed, holding out her arms.

He pulled her closer, closing his eyes and enjoying how soft and warm she was. Mama and Daddy Adam always warned him to be careful with her, 'cause she was so little, but Heart loved hugs. And hugging her always made him feel better.

Heart had dark skin like Mama and Daddy Zack, though. She wasn't pale like he was. But they had the same last name. And she could see auras, like he could. Was she adopted too?

" ... Idge?"

Heart's voice trembled, and he looked down, blinking. "Sorry, Heart," he mumbled, feeling guilty. He shouldn't be thinking about his real family when she could feel it. He didn't want to hurt her.

He pulled away, kissing her forehead like Daddy Zack always did and giving her his best smile, even though he didn't feel it. "I feel lots better now," he lied. "Thanks!"

She stared back, blinking for a moment. Then her nose wrinkled, and she sucked in a big breath. "Daaa ... !" she wailed abruptly.

Bridge jumped, wincing. "M'okay, Heart!" he tried. "Please stop. Please?"

"Heart? Bridge?"

Daddy Rocky scooped up Heart in one arm, moving to sit beside him. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked Heart, rubbing her back and glancing at Bridge worriedly.

"Idge!" Heart wailed, waving both hands at him. Her aura pulsed faintly red.

Bridge flinched, hastily reaching out to pull his glove back on. He fumbled as his hands shook, and bit his lip as tears welled in his eyes again. He didn't mean to make her upset. He just ... just ....

Hands caught his, taking the glove from him and sliding it on gently. "Easy, kiddo," Daddy said softly. He was pulled into Daddy's lap and hugged against his chest as a hand reached up to stroke his hair. "It's all right."

Bridge couldn't see his aura anymore, but he could feel the gentle pulse of _love_.

He relaxed into him with a sigh, turning to bury his face against his daddy's arm. For a moment he closed his eyes, letting the emotion wash over him.

Who needed real parents, anyways? He had a family that loved him and worried about him, and didn't like when he was sad. It didn't matter if he was adopted. They loved him even though he was defec-chive. That was really all that mattered, wasn't it?

He felt Daddy kiss the top of his head. "You ready to tell us what happened?" he asked softly.

Bridge paused, thinking. " ... Daddy? Do you love me?"

His daddy stiffened. "What kind of a question is that?" he demanded, and his aura pulsed with _hurt_ even though his voice was soft. "You know I do."

Heart whimpered faintly, and Daddy pulled her close again, whispering to her as he calmed down.

Bridge smiled a little, snuggling against his daddy's arm. "Then it doesn' matter," he said simply. "You love me, and Daddy and Daddy and Mama and Heart all love me. S'not important no more."

Daddy was quiet for awhile, and Bridge kept his face snuggled into his daddy's arm, listening as he calmed Heart. He smiled when Daddy started to sing, tilting his head so he could listen. Daddy Adam didn't sing, and Mama and Daddy Zack were better at it, but Daddy Rocky always sang in Spanish. Bridge liked the way it sounded.

Eventually Daddy moved him enough to get up, setting Heart down in her crib. Bridge crept up beside him, watching as he covered her with a blanket and bent down to kiss her head. He blew her a kiss of his own through the bars.

He looked up at Daddy as he was picked up, surprised. None of his daddies had carried him around in **forever**; Daddy Adam said he was too big. He kind of missed it, though.

He laid his head against his daddy's shoulder, closing his eyes.

"Family meeting," Daddy announced as they came into the living room. "Now."

Bridge opened his eyes again, blinking up at him. Across the room he saw Daddy Zack look up from talking to Mama at the breakfast bar, both of them frowning. Daddy Adam was pacing, and even from where he was Bridge could feel him radiating _unhappy_.

"What is it?" Mama demanded as she moved to join them on one of the couches. "What happened, Baby?" she added, reaching out to cup Bridge's cheek.

He shook his head. "M'okay, Mama."

"Bridge," Daddy Rocky interrupted, frowning down at him. "Why would you even **need** to know that we love you? What doesn't matter if we do?"

Bridge saw Daddy Zack start as he moved to sit on the arm of the couch across from them, ignoring the glare Mama shot him for doing it.

He frowned, worried now. "Doesn' matter," he insisted. "You love me, so everythin's okay now."

Daddy Adam leaned forward from the opposite couch, tilting his chin up. "Bridge. Why wasn't it okay before?" he asked quietly.

He hesitated, looking down. Would they be mad that he knew? If they hadn't said anything before, maybe ... they didn't want him to know? "It - "

"Bridge."

He shut his eyes tight. "Doesn'matterm'dopted," he said quickly.

There was a long silence.

"What?" Daddy Zack asked finally.

He winced, keeping his eyes closed. "It doesn't matter I'm adopted," he whispered.

More silence.

At last he peeked an eye open, wondering why no one was saying anything. "I ... I didn' mean to find out," he offered tentatively. Were they mad? "Someone said somethin' at school, and - "  
"Bridge," Daddy Adam interrupted. He didn't **look** angry. But he didn't really look ... anything. "Who told you that you were adopted?"

Bridge blinked. "Parker Morris. He said Daddy and I don' look nothin' alike, 'cause he's black." He frowned. "And then Miss Malkin said adopted was when your family can't take care of you no more, so another family takes care o' you instead, but I should ask you why 'cause you could explain it better. And ... " He stopped, realizing all four of them were staring at him now. "And I don't ... look like any o' you ... " he mumbled, looking down again. "And our last names 're different .... "

He squeezed his eyes shut again, trying not to cry. "M' sorry," he whispered. "I didn' ... I didn' mean to find out ... I - "

"Baby," Mama interrupted, and her hand reached out to stroke his cheek again. "You're not adopted."

He frowned, looking up at her. "But - "

She shook her head. "Trust me Baby, you're not," she promised.

"If anything, I am," Daddy Zack offered.

Bridge looked at him, confused. "Huh?"

Mama scooted closer to him and Daddy Rocky, wrapping one arm around Daddy as she leaned in closer to him. "Eight years ago, your Daddy Rocky and Daddy Adam decided they wanted to have a baby together," she explained, resting her head against Daddy Rocky's shoulder as Bridge watched her curiously. One of her hands reached up to rub Daddy Rocky's back. "So they took a piece of each of them and put it together to make you. But they still needed a mommy to carry you in her tummy until you were ready to be born. They asked me, since we've all been friends for so long, and I said yes."

Bridge's eyes widened. "Oh ... " he breathed.

She smiled at him, stroking his cheek again. "And when you were born ... you were so beautiful I just couldn't stay away. So your daddies agreed to let me help raise you, so we could all be a family together."

He blinked for a moment. "So ... Daddy and Daddy really **are** my daddies?" He frowned. "But I don't look like you ... "

"Yes, you do," Mama said firmly. "You look so much like your Daddy Rocky. You just don't see it, because you've got your Daddy Adam in you, too. Since you look like both of them, you don't look as much like either of them. Get it?"

He thought for a minute and nodded slowly. That made sense. "But what about Daddy?" he asked worriedly, looking at Daddy Zack.

Daddy Zack grinned at him. "Well, your mom and I were a couple when your daddies asked her to be your mama, so I got involved in raising you 'cause she was. And then you started calling me 'daddy' one day, and wouldn't let anybody tell you different. So **you** adopted **me**." He leaned in, poking Bridge in the nose.

Bridge giggled slightly. "I did?"

"Yup," his daddy confirmed, giving his nose a light pinch. He got up, heading for the kitchen.

Bridge watched him, thinking. Finally he glanced at his mama, confused. "But why's my last name different then all o' yours?"

"Have a cookie," Daddy Zack announced as he returned, shoving one into Daddy Adam's mouth as he started to say something. He did the same to Daddy Rocky as Daddy Adam choked and tried to glare. "Here, you too," he declared. He scooped Bridge up as he giggled. "You've been hogging Bridge for the last half hour, it's my turn."

Bridge shrieked in delight as they flopped back onto the couch, Daddy Zack's fingers digging into his sides. "Daddy!" he howled. "Quit it!"

"Never!"

"Zack, stop before you make him pass out," Mama lectured, smiling as she continued to lean on Daddy Rocky. She reached out to take Daddy Adam's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"You're no fun," Daddy Zack protested, but he stopped tickling and hugged him instead.

Bridge giggled breathlessly.

"Your last name is special, Baby," Mama said finally, shaking her head at them as she continued to smile. "Your Daddy Rocky made it just for you."

"He did?"

She nodded. "Since you came from your daddies and me, he took all three of our names to make a new one. And your middle name is from your Daddy Zack."

"Oh." Bridge blinked. "But why's Heart's name like mine?"

"Because your mama and I made Heart, like your daddies made you," Daddy Zack explained, ruffling his hair. "And we decided that since we were raising both of you as a family, you and your sister should have the same last name."

He leaned against his daddy's shoulder, thinking. He **did** have real parents that wanted him. And he **did** look like them. And Mama said his last name was for all of them ... "So it doesn' matter that I'm defec-chive?" he asked absently, glancing down at his hands.

Daddy Rocky sat up abruptly, his aura flaring. "**What**?!"

Bridge flinched, staring at him wide-eyed. " ... Daddy?" he whispered.

His daddy turned to stare at him. "Who told you you were defec-ch - I mean, defective?" he demanded. His aura pulsed again.

Bridge pressed back against Daddy Zack, staring at him. Daddy Rocky *never* got mad ... "P-Parker Morris," he stammered. "He said ... my real parents didn' want me 'cause I'm defec-chive."

Mama stared at him, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Baby ... "

Daddy Rocky got up, moving to kneel down in front of him as Bridge stared back worriedly. His aura was calm again as soon as he got close, and Bridge let out a slow sigh. Daddy Rocky was always the best at controlling his aura. Mama thought that was funny for some reason.

He blinked, startled, as Daddy Rocky reached down to take both his hands. Daddy pulled off his gloves one at a time, and pressed kiss against each of Bridge's palms. "Bridge, you are **not** defective," he stated firmly, his voice soft. "You're perfect **exactly** the way you are. And your 'real' parents love you so much."

Bridge swallowed. "You do?" he whispered.

He jumped slightly as a hand came down to take one of his, pulling Daddy Rocky's with it. "We do," Daddy Adam promised quietly. "More than anything else in the world."

Bridge smiled slowly, closing his eyes and letting the sparkles in his aura speak for him.

When his daddies squeezed both of his hands, he knew they understood.


	4. Part 4

"I thought you weren' allowed to pick me up from school no more, Mama," Bridge piped up curiously as she led him outside. "Daddy said so."

She made a face before flashing him a warm smile, squeezing his hand. "Well this is a special occasion, Baby."

"It is?" He tilted his head. "What is it?"

She smiled, winking at him. "You'll see. It's a surprise."

"Good surprise?" he asked warily. "Or Daddy's surprises for Uncle Jason surprise?"

She laughed, giving his hand another squeeze. "Good surprise. You'll like it Baby, I promise," she

assured him.

"'kay," he agreed warily. "But if Daddy and Uncle Jason are both there, you can go first, 'kay?"

* * *

"Bridge." A hand shook his shoulder gently. "Bridge, wake up."

He opened his eyes, blinking slowly. "Daddy?" he mumbled. "'re you done **yet**?"

Daddy Adam smiled. "Yeah, we're done," he promised. He reached out, running a hand over Bridge's hair. "I'm sorry it took so long. We thought it'd be faster than this."

"What'd be faster?" he yawned.

He blinked as a plastic card was held in front of his face.

His brow furrowed. "Ca ... Califour-n'a Driver's ... Li - "

"Not that part," his daddy corrected, pointing further down.

He blinked. Stared, and blinked again. "Adam ... Park ... Carson?" he read slowly. He looked up, wide-eyed.

"I'm telling you man, Taylor Carson is **way** better," Daddy Zack announced loudly as he and Daddy Rocky came toward them.

Daddy Rocky shook his head. "You're just saying that 'cause there's two of you, which is cheating," he argued.

He yelped as Mama's hand smacked the back of his head from behind. "Getting married is cheating?" she demanded.

Daddy Rocky rolled his eyes. "You know, six months ago when you two got married, you swore you weren't changing your name at all."

"That was six months ago," Mama retorted.

Bridge stared. "I ... I don' ... " He shook his head, confused.

Daddy Zack crouched down in front of him, smiling warmly. "Well, we all talked about it, and we decided that you're right. Since we're all a family, we should all have the same last name," he explained. "It'd be a little confusing at S.P.D. if we all went by just Carson though, so your mama and I are the Taylor Carsons, and your daddies added Carson to the last names they already had."

Daddy Adam coughed. "And we filled out paperwork to make your mom and Daddy Zack as guardians, instead of just god-parents. And Daddy Rocky and I did the same for Heart."

Daddy Rocky smiled at Bridge, wrapping his arms around Daddy Adam and Mama. "So now we really are one big happy family," he declared.

"So what do you say, buddy?" Daddy Zack finished, grinning at him. "Will you adopt us?"

Bridge blinked rapidly for several minutes. He tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. He shook his head and tried again, but nothing happened.

Daddy Zack frowned, _concern_ flickering through his aura. "Bridge? You okay there, buddy?"

He opened his mouth again, but his throat seemed to have closed up. Instead he swallowed, tugging off one off his gloves and reaching for Daddy Zack's hand. His daddy's hand was warm, and he tightened his fingers around Daddy's bigger hand.

His daddy blinked rapidly for a moment. "Oh. Wow .... " he murmured. He blinked again, and finally leaned forward to give Bridge a hug. "Yeah. I'm happy too, buddy," he murmured, squeezing gently. "Thanks for adopting me."

Bridge smiled as the tears in his eyes finally spilled over, resting his chin on his daddy's shoulder. He still couldn't talk, so he closed his eyes and let Daddy Zack feel just how happy he really was.

Everything around them continued to sparkle.


End file.
